The 2016 Workshop will be the Second opportunity for Lebanon’s talented string players to work with outstanding internationally recognized artist/educators, in collaboration with the string faculty from the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music. The seven-day Workshop will offer students Master Classes, Chamber Music, Orchestra Sectionals, and Orchestra Rehearsals, as well Faculty Concerts every afternoon by our visiting faculty. The Workshop is open to students of all levels of abilities.

The Lebanon Summer String and Orchestra Workshop will present a final concert at NDU’s Bechara Rahi Concert Auditorium on Saturday afternoon, 6 August 2016!

Germán Augusto Gutiérrez

Germán Gutiérrez has served as Director of Orchestras and Professor of Orchestral Studies at Fort Worth’s Texas Christian University (TCU) as well as Director of TCU’s Latin American Music Center and biennial Latin American Music Festival since 1996. Since 2000, Dr. Gutiérrez has also served as Music Director of the Youth Orchestra of Greater Fort Worth (YOGFW). Dr. Gutiérrez is a frequent guest conductor of professional orchestras in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania. He recently recorded a CD with the Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra with Daniel Binelli, bandoneon, and Polly Ferman, piano, as soloists.2014/15 conducting invitations include a tour to Italy with the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony in a concert with superstar Bernadette Peters, a tour with the National Youth Philharmonic of Colombia, and the Free State Symphony Orchestra of South Africa.Recent invitations included the Carlos Prieto International Cello Competition in Morelia, Mexico, the Hu Bei State Symphony of China, and the National Symphonies of Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Peru and Czech Republic. In 2011, the TCU Symphony Orchestra was awarded the Carlos Gardel Musical Prize for its CD “Cantar Latinoamericano” with Opus Cuatro as soloists. This award led to an invitation for the orchestra to perform in May, 2013 in Buenos Aires, La Plata, and Rosario, Argentina. Maestro Gutierrez was, for twelve consecutive years, the guest conductor of the Dallas Symphony’s Hispanic Festival.In 2006, he was invited to conduct the Czech National Symphony in historic Smetana Hall as part of the 110th anniversary of Carl Orff’s birth, where he led the orchestra in a performance of Carmina Burana. Maestro Gutiérrez has also appeared with the symphony orchestras of Shanghai (China), Xalapa and San Luis Potosí in Mexico, the Fort Worth Symphony, Auckland Philharmonic (New Zealand), Bogotá Philharmonic, Puerto Rico National Symphony, Sinfónica del Teatro Municipal de Rio de Janeiro, and Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra (Brazil), among others. In 2002, Maestro Gutiérrez was invited to the Trentino region of Italy to conduct Rossini’s Barber of Seville for the 30th anniversary of the Pergine Spettacolo Aperto.Maestro Gutiérrez holds Músico Bachiller and Maestro en Música degrees from the Tolima Conservatory in Colombia. He also received a master’s degree from Illinois State University and a doctoral degree from the University of Northern Colorado. For his involvement and dedication to TCU, Maestro Gutiérrez received the Dean's Teaching Award, the Dean's Award for Research and Creative Activity, and the 2003 Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity, the highest award that the university bestows.He makes his home in Fort Worth with his wife Silvia and two sons Nicolás and Gabriel.

Yiorgos Kontouris

Yiorgos Kountouris is the Artistic Director of the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra and its Music School. He graduated from the St. Petersburg State Conservatory in 2006, where he studied Symphonic and Operatic Conducting with Prof. Alexander Alexeev and Violin with Prof. Antonina Kazarena. The same year, Mr. Kountouris was appointed at the University of California, Los Angeles as the assistant conductor of the UCLA Philharmonia and UCLA Symphony Orchestras.

He has conducted numerous orchestras in Europe, the U.S.A and Russia. Some indicative collaborations of the maestro include the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Hermitage State Chamber Orchestra, the Athens Camerata as well as the Lege Artis and Wiener Singakademie choirs. Yiorgos Kountouris performed in some of the world’s most historic music halls such as the Wiener Konzerthaus, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, the Athens Megaron and the Royce Hall in Los Angeles.

He had his Cyprus début in June 2008 with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. In May 2010 he opened the “Karelian White Nights” and in 2012, he conducted the Cyprus premiere of I. Xenakis’ “Oresteia” at the closing concert of the International Kypria Festival. In 2012, ECM released a recording of Y. Koumentakis’s 3rd piano concerto, with Yiorgos Kountouris conducting the Athens Camerata at the Megaron Hall; soloist – Y. Lazarides.

Yiorgos Kountouris’ research articles were published in Greek, English and Russian languages in

esteemed international musicological journals such as the “Moscow Musical Academy”.

Danielle Johnson

Danielle Johnson is currently in her twelfth year of teaching orchestra in the Adams12 Five Star Schools. Her orchestras at Mountain Range High School have won numerous awards including a first place finish at the Heritage Festival in Colorado Springs and an invitation to perform in the renowned Orchestra Hall in Chicago, IL; home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Sought after as a guest clinician and adjudicator along the Front Range, Johnson has worked with high school, middle school, and elementary orchestra festivals in Boulder Valley, Jefferson County, and Douglas County, as well as judged for numerous solo/ensemble festivals. In December 2013, she was named Colorado’s “Music Educator Who Makes a Difference” by the national publication, School Band and Orchestra magazine.

An active performer, Johnson has played viola in the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra since 2004. She conducts the Front Range Youth Symphony’s Concert Strings and Chamber Orchestra at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, and last summer she toured Europe as the orchestra director with the Colorado Ambassadors of Music.

Previously, Johnson taught for Boulder Suzuki Strings, Wheaton's pre-college music program, the International School of Bangkok, Thailand, and the public schools in Omaha, Nebraska and Boulder, Colorado. She spent 12 summers as Dean of Women and Interdisciplinary Faculty Instructor for the string chamber music program, Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Johnson also served as concertmaster for the Niwot Timberline Symphony and violist in the St. Mary’s Baroque Orchestra.

Johnson received her bachelor of music education degree from Wheaton College Conservatory in Wheaton, Illinois and her master’s degree in violin performance/pedagogy at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She studied conducting under Daniel Sommerville, Mary Hopper, Paul Wiens, and Ernest Richardson.

Johnson lives in Broomfield, Colorado with her husband, Reid and their two children, Jordan and Ryan.

Dona Nouné ­Wiedmann ­

A native of Lebanon, violinist Dona Nouné­Wiedmann began studying the violin at the age of nine, at the National Conservatoire in Beirut.

She later continued her studies at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles (1981­82) and the Royal Academy of Music in London (1982­84). Shel obtained her B.M. degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester (1987) and her Masters degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois

(1989). During her formative years, musical influences came from great pedagogues like Emile Nouné, Ivan Galamian, Sylvia Rosenberg, Gerardo Ribiero, Zvi Zeitlin and Manoug Parikian.

Orchestral experience has included work with leading orchestras like the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Nürenberg Symphony (Germany),with which whom she has performed with a wide array of leading conductors like Claudio Abbado, John Elliot Gardiner, Mark Elder, David Zinman and many others . She was on the String Faculty of the Hochstein School of Music in Rochester, New York, during which time she was also a member of the Hochstein String Quartet. Dona is currently a member of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. She was acting assistant principal for three years in 2006 until 2009.

In December 2013 Dona appeared as a soloist with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, performing John William’s arrangement the of the Tango “Por Un Cabeza”by Gardel. In addition to her orchestral and teaching experience, she frequently gives recitals with her pianist Jessica Madsen in the Cincinnati area and regularly performs violin duos with her colleague Aurelian Oprea. In 1993

Dona toured with the American sinfonietta all across Germany and Austria,in which their final concert was at the Musik Verrein. She also toured with the Rochester Philharmonic playing at Carnegie Hall. Other ensembles she performed with include various string quartets with members of the orchestras she plays in.

In June 2015 Dona visited Beirut for the first time since the left as a student. There, she gave a masterclass at the National Conservatoire; it was a positive and fulfilling experience.

He was first violin in orchestras : Symphony of Colombia , Opera Orchestra of Heidelberg, Germany; Orchestra of the Southwest German Radio in Kaiserslautern, Germany; Concertino assistant Symphony Orchestra of Colombia; Concertino director of the Chamber Orchestra of Caldas; Concertino principal of Valley Symphony Orchestra and Associate Concertmaster Symphony Orchestra EAFIT in Medellin. Guest concertmaster of the Philharmonic orchestras of Bogota and Medellin Philharmonic .He has performed as soloist with the Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia , Orchestra del Valle, Symphony EAFIT , Orchestra " Dolmetsch " Festival in England , Orchestra Festival " Castello San Martino ", " Carpineto Romano" and " Sabaudia " in Italy.

His work as a teacher has played in various music schools in Kaiserslautern, Worms, and Pirmasens in Germany. In Colombia he taught violin and viola in the Music School of Huila, and the Music Department of the National University of Colombia.

He was permanent workshop leader for several years of the National BATUTA of Colombia. Also, he was the FoundationTeaching Professor in the Conservatorio del Tolima, and Chair Professor of the Institute of Fine Arts in Cali, Colombia

In addition, he was Full Professor of Violin and Viola EAFIT University of Medellin, Colombia; Professor of Violin and Viola at the Symphony Orchestra del Valle in Cali, Colombia, and Ongoing Guest Professor of Violin and Viola for several years in the "Eleazar de Carvalho" Festival in Fortaleza, Brazil.

From 2011-2013 Professor of Violin and Viola at the Conservatory of the Tolima. His activity as soloist and recitalist has received excellent reviews both in Europe and in Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela .

He has devoted much of his life to research the operation of the locomotor system in implementing the violin and viola.He has extensive experience as a technical trainer of youth orchestras.

Ignacy Gaydamovich

Cellist Ignacy Gaydamovich appears as a soloist, recitalist, and a chamber musician throughout Europe and the United States. He is a winner of several international competitions and a recipient of multiple awards from Austrian, American, and Polish institutions. He teaches at the Conservatory Music in the Mountains in Colorado, and is a co-founder of the Vivace Vilnius Summer Music Festival in Vilnius, Lithuania.

In January of 2014 Mr. Ignacy toured Japanas the principal cellist of the Boston Chamber Orchestra, and most recently performed at the Steinway Hall in New York. He gave an American premiere of Cellotronicum for cello and computer by Michal Talma-Sutt and appears on an improvised music compact disc “Cosmospir.” In 2012 he made the Albanian premiere of the Konrgold Cello Concerto with the National Radio and TvOrchetsra of Alabnia in Tirana.

Mr. Gaydamovich received degrees from F. Chopin Music University, Texas Christian University, Boston Conservatory, and Longy School of Music. Currently he is pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Hartford. He studied with Terry King, Jesus Castro-Balbi, Rhonda Rider, as well as with Lawrence Lesser and Aldo Parisot.

Thanks to Davi and Bruce Chabner Family Foundation Mr. Gaydamovich is playing on a modern copy of a 1566 cello by Andrea Amati, made by WojciechTopa.

Michel Kheirallah

Lebanese, born in 1954, Michel started his violin lessons in 1968 at the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music with Professor Emil Nouné (a student of Galamian). He continued his studies at “Ecole Normale de Musique” in Paris, with Proffesor Jacques Prat from 1975 till 1979. From 1979 untill 1984, he attented the famous “Tchaikovsky Conservatory” in Moscow with Prefessor Galina Barinova. Currently he is the Dean of the String Faculty in the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music. Mr. Kheirallah has been the concert Master of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra since its enception.

Mario Rahi

Mario Rahi earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Music in Violin Studies from the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia of Rome. In addition, he earned his Master of Music Degree from the National Academy of Santa Cecilia, located in Rome, Italy, one of the oldest musical institutions in the world.

At the Chigiana Music Academy of Siena he participated in Master Classes courses with Salvatore Accardo, known for his interpretations of Paganini. Also, he attended MasterClasses for orchestral playing with Marco Fiorini, Concertmaster of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia.

Mr. Rahi performed in the Rome Sinfonietta Orchestra conducted by Ennio Morricone, one of the most famous of composers, conductors, and orchestrators in the world. From 2006-2010, he was Concertmaster of the World Youth Orchestra.

Janine Youssef

Janine Youssef completed her violin studies with Andrzej Grabiec at Wichita State University. She has played with the Wichita Symphony, Oklahoma City Chamber Orchestra, Missouri Chamber Orchestra, and Wichita Grand Opera. As well, Janine performed with the Denver Chamber orchestra on tour with Western Opera Theater. She has participated in the Kneisel Hall Music Festival, and been on the faculty of the Music Festival of Arkansas. Since 2005 Janine has been a member of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra and a teacher of violin at the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music.

Maya Maalouf

Maya is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music (BA) and the Catholic University of American (MM), both in violin performance. Maya’s primary teachers have included Charles Castleman, Amy Beth Horman, Ivan Minas-Bekov and Joseph Gatwood.

Maya is currently a member of the Pan American Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble that specializes in Latin American music. In the summer of 2009, she joined PASO for its first international tour in Peru. She also performs regularly with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, and the Landon Symphonette, and has played at important DC area venues including the Kennedy Center, Lisner Auditorium, Glen Eccoh, the Argentinian, Venezuelan, Canadian, and Vatican Embassies and prestigious social settings such as the Georgtown Club, Anderson House, Dacor-Bacon House, the Butler House and the International Student House.

She has been a participant in a number of solo, chamber and orchestral summer programs and festivals including the Quartet Program, the National Orchestral Institute, National Symphony Orchestra Summer Institute, Killington Music Festival, and Eastman School of Music BalanesGamalan Summer Workshop.

Noémi Boróka Tetézi

Noémi Boróka Tetézi was born in 1987 in Hungary. Since 1996, Noémi has performed at concerts and recitals in Hungary and foreign countries as a solo cellist and as a member of chamber and symphony orchestras. She has competed in several national and international competitions both as a soloist and as a member of chamber groups. She has been the winner three times in a row of the Janos Starker National Cello Competition in Hungary, achieved Niveau prizes with chamber groups in Hungary and has been awarded several outstanding prizes at international competitions. She graduated from the University of Debrecen where she achieved the excellent level in her Master’s of Performing and Teaching the Cello in 2010. She has been playing cello with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra since 2009.

Ion Birovescu

Ion Birovescu is the principal double-bass player in the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, since 2000. He is teacher of double bass between 1984-2000 in Romania and in Lebanon since 2000.

Olga Bolun

Olga Bolun started playing piano and harp when she was 5 years old and did her first performance with orchestra at 10. She is a graduate of the State Higher Academy of Music, Moldova, majoring in Solo Piano, Chamber Music, Collaborative Piano and Professorship of Piano. In 1993 she worked as piano accompanist in Bucharest State Academy of Music, Romania with the rank of Lecturer, as well as collaborated with the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra till her moving to Lebanon in 2000.

Being a professor of piano as well as collaborative pianist in the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music, she contributed as a leading pianist in many concerts with chamber and symphony orchestras, in addition to solo and vocal recitals, playing either on piano, celesta, church organ or harpsichord. Also, she is an active musician in main Lebanese Festivals with the LPO (Baalbek, Al Bustan, Tyre, Beirut Chants).

Mrs. Bolun’s musical career in Lebanon is extended to cover piano competitions adjudication as well as many professional recordings.